Disposable scalpels that have a blade and an injection moulded plastic handle are available in both a simple and a retractable safety configuration. However, many surgeons find such disposable scalpels too light in weight and prefer to use a scalpel having a heavier re-usable stainless steel handle and a replaceable disposable blade.
A rather common form of scalpel has a stainless steel handle with a longitudinally extending blade-supporting stem at one end that merges with a terminal elongated blade engaging lug carried by the stem with the lug being adapted to cooperate with a longitudinal slot in a scalpel blade. The slot in the scalpel blade has a wider proximal region nearer the handle through which the lug can pass obliquely and a narrower forward region further from the handle having inner edges slidably engaging in accommodating grooves in two opposite side surfaces of the lug. Such a scalpel will, in this specification, be referred to as a standard scalpel; such a handle will be referred to as a standard scalpel handle; and such a blade will be referred to as a standard scalpel blade. Such standard handles are, as far as applicant is aware, generally made in two different sizes, but the same type of attachment may also be made in custom sizes depending on the requirements of a manufacturer and any custom made scalpels, handles and blades are intended to be included within the definition of “standard”.
The free proximal end edge of a standard scalpel blade may be angled to the length of the blade and co-operates with a positioning shoulder on the handle that acts as an abutment in the assembled condition. The standard blade is thus firmly held in interlocking connection with the handle and the angled proximal end of the blade needs to be flexed away from the handle in order to release the blade from the lug. A variety of different blade removing accessories are available.
It is widely recognized that it is generally desirable for a scalpel to be provided with a guard that can be used to cover the scalpel blade when it is not in use; to expose the scalpel blade when it is required for use; and, as may be appropriate, to contain the scalpel blade for disposal purposes.
A guard that is slidable forwards and rearwards on a specially custom made stainless steel scalpel handle that is different from that described above is described in each of patent publications DE20310905; EP05551965, US20100063522 and WO03099145.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,771 describes a similar arrangement of a specially made stainless steel scalpel handle that utilizes a standard blade mounting stem although it does require a special shape of blade having a proximal end bent out of the plane of the rest of the blade.
Applicant is only aware of two commercially available scalpel blade cartridge systems and both of these use custom made stainless steel handles with the result that the cartridges cannot be used with any other handle. Neither can be used with a standard scalpel handle a standard scalpel blade cannot be used with those specially made handles.
At least in most cases in which a blade guard is slidable relative to the handle, the handle is shaped to provide suitable guides for cooperation with the blade guard.
Patent publication WO2008077084, on the other hand, describes an arrangement in which a scalpel blade cartridge comprises two parts, namely a blade carrier to which the scalpel blade is attached and that is a separate part from a stainless steel scalpel handle. A blade guard that is stationary relative to the scalpel handle is provided. The blade carrier slides relative to the handle and blade guard assembly so as to cause the blade to project beyond the end of the guard, as may be required for use, or to be retracted within the confines of the guard. Apart from the fact that a specially made custom stainless steel handle needs to be manufactured, applicant believes that the blade being supported exclusively by a blade carrier that is a separate part with respect to the handle, and therefore only indirectly by the handle itself, may invite a situation in which the indirect attachment of the blade to the handle results in unwanted play.
The difficulty created by the requirement of custom made stainless steel handles is the fact that they represent what is very often an unacceptable additional cost whereas there are numerous standard stainless steel handles in medical facilities throughout the world that are available for use. Also, there are numerous different shapes and sizes of standard blades made of different steels that are available at medical facilities that can be attached to a standard stainless steel scalpel handle but not to any of the custom-made handles.
In addition, all existing scalpel blade cartridges of which applicant is aware are fitted with stainless steel scalpel blades. There are, however, surgeons that prefer to use carbon steel scalpel blades. However, carbon steel scalpel blades are not presently available in a cartridge format because of their tendency to rust or corrode unless special protection is afforded the surfaces of such blades. At the present time such protection is inconsistent with a carbon steel blade being supplied in a cartridge format.
There is thus a need for a scalpel blade accessory that can be used for the disposal of used scalpel blades individually enclosed within a guard and an accessory that can be used in conjunction with either stainless steel or carbon steel scalpel blades, if required, at least under particular circumstances. There is also a need for an accessory that enables standard scalpel handles to be employed in a manner having enhanced safety.
It should be noted that this specification uses the term tubular guard for a guard that is intended to substantially encircle a scalpel blade for protective and disposal purposes and is not intended to imply that the specification is limited to the tube being continuous in the peripheral direction.